Quick Bits

Here's a quick update of September thus far since I have plenty of pictures I've been meaning to post and haven't gotten to yet.

 

Hannah has started feeding herself with a spoon!   A little messy but she tries so hard.

Hannah loves to spend time with her big brother.  He doesn't always love to share his snack with her though!

I cracked out the play-doh for the kids to play with one weekend.  This was Hannah's first time with play-doh and she had fun figuring it out.  Of course, when she was done, she started throwing it all on the floor so her playtime was cut a little short!

We also did a painting project one morning.  The kids picked out little wooden plaques at Michael's so we dug out the acrylic paints and went to town.  This was also Hannah's first time with paint.

In other news, Ava learned how to ride her bike without training wheels.  She's such an all-star!  Not even five yet and cruising around like she's been doing it forever.

Ellie is still adjusting to the switch from a full-size bed to the twin-size top bunk.  I was making my nightly rounds before I went to bed and found her little face smushed right up next to the rail!  I've also found a leg dangling through the rail before!

Other tidbits:
*Carter had another eye appointment.  At this point, we are just going to give his oil duct time to drain itself.  Most of these bumps are supposed to clear up on their own.  So the doctor said to hot pack the bump each evening to help loosen it up, keep using the ointment we have, and hopefully it will go away.  Apparently, they take a long time to go away on their own but most do.  We will not put him under again to finish the job and the opthamalogist will not consider doing anything in office until Carter is a few years older.  So now the waiting game begins...

*I have re-entered what I like to call "retirement".  Really it means I am back at home with the little people, playing the roles of nanny, cook, housekeeper, chauffeur, referree and everything else I do.  I just don't have an out from the kids anymore, no paycheck, and no pension or retirement savings to fall back on! 

Long story short, Deb wasn't able to make the time commitment again this year to watch the kids a couple days a week.  When I first met with my boss to discuss options, she was intially willing to work out a better schedule.  Our plan was that I'd maybe lose some hours and be switched from classroom time to the sibling care room, where other staff members have brought their children in the past.  However, after she thought about it more, she decided that 3 staff children started to get too close to the ratio they like to keep staff to children at and she didn't want to have to put another staff member in sibling care with me because my kids were filling the room up.  Parents have also been known to get upset when staff members have their children along because they feel that their children don't get as good of care.  Plus, my boss said I'm fabulous in the classroom and that's where she wanted me to be.  Unfortunately, without several days of free childcare to counter the days when a babysitter is needed, it just didn't make sense to continue working.  And of course there was the fact that #5 is due in January and would add another kink to the plan after that.  So I resigned.  I will miss working there but at this time, they have decided not to fill my position.  Once the twins are in school full-time, life will get much easier for us.  I left on a good note and with the hopes of being able to come back in a year or two, so not filling the job leaves me hopefully that they will welcome me back next fall or the following year. 

I will say that I am very excited to get back into my household groove.  I have countless projects around the house that need to get done before winter and the baby arrive.  I've already repainted the girls' room and the kids' bathroom.  I'm starting the master bath this weekend and after that I plan to repaint the half bath on the main level.  I'd also like to redo the loft and stairwell if time permits.  There is the Etsy store my mom and I created that is 95% her stuff and about 3 items mine.  I have quite a few items that are started but they just need to get finished and listed.  I'd also like to work on my photography more.  So I will find plenty of ways to keep busy, 4+ children included!

*My final note for now is that today is the one year anniversary of Ava's appendectomy.  I thought about dedicating a whole post to that experience but decided not to go that route.  It was without a doubt the darkest time in my life.  Not knowing what is making your child sick and hoping that it is something that can be remedied is not a feeling I ever what to relive.  However, rather than dwell on all the bad, I've decided to move forward and look at the positive.  The surgeons did find the problem, removed her ruptured appendix, and she is completely healthy now.  She's even back at the weight she was a year ago.  The scars are barely noticeable and in a few years, I don't think the largest one will be very visible.  So instead of dwelling and remembering, I have decided to turn my focus to being positive and thankful that Ava is healthy and back to normal.  The others are healthy as well so we have much to be thankful for this year!

On the Pontoon

On the pontoon

Makin' waves and catchin' rays up on the roof

Jumpin' out the back, don't act like you don't want to

Party in slow motion

Out here in the open

Mmmmmmm...motorboatin'
(Little Big Town)

 

To celebrate Tony's birthday, we all went out to the cabin Tony's parents have about 25 minutes south of Lakeville.  We took a ride on the pontoon, hung around a fire, and ate a delicious meal of kettle cooked chicken, fresh garden veggies, and yummy cheesy potatoes. 

Jake showing off what a man he is before he jumps into the lake in the middle of September.

"Hmm, am I sure I want to do this?"

It was much colder than Jake anticipated.  I can't repeat the words he uttered when he popped back up to the top but suffice it to say, a lake that is cold in July is going to feel even colder in September!

It took Hannah a little bit to develop her sea legs.  She stood at an angle for at least 5 minutes until she finally felt she could walk around normally!

Hannah and Bells jamming to the tunes!  

Captain Thomas (Tony's brother)

He drives the pontoon and plays dj.  Don't step out of line or Captain Thomas will get after you!  And don't bother to make requests of the dj.  Thomas will select all the music, thank you very much!

Picturesque!

After dinner, we tossed the troops in the tub.  I think this is the first bath Banana and Bells have taken together.  We'll have to add Bethie in when she comes to visit in a few weeks!  

We all had a blast at the cabin.  Everyone was asleep within 10 minutes of getting home.  Fresh September air, outside for hours, stuffed from a fabulous meal, and scrubbed clean and clean jammies on.  Does it get much better?!  A cabin is on our someday list. 

 

I've finally ventured out of auto mode on the camera and am playing in the shutter speed mode.  I like putting the pictures on the computer and being able to see what I've done when taking them.  Somehow many of my backgrounds are blurry and I'm not even sure what I did to make it happen!  I like it though! I took lots of pictures of the shoreline of the lake.  I definitely need a zoom lens for next time.  Hint, hint.  Christmas is close! (mom? dad? anyone?!)

Party Animal

One of Jake's cousins got married this past weekend.  When planning our trip down to the wedding, we tacked on a visit to my dad's parents as well so they could get a chance to see the family this fall.  We asked them ahead of time if we could leave the older trio with them for the evening and just take Hannah to the wedding with us.  They agreed and so Ellie, Ava, and Carter got to spend a fun low-key evening with their great-grandparents and Jake and I had to deal with only one child at the wedding.  If only we'd known the child we decided to take with us!

 

Hannah started the party off by devouring a chocolate cupcake.  She impatiently sat through one of the shortest wedding ceremonies I've been to.  Turns out the girl was hungry and was in a much better mood once we hit the buffet and filled up on crackers, cheese, sandwiches, fruit, and a cupcake.

Light music played while people mingled and ate so Hannah warmed up herself and the dance floor for the party later.

We exited the tent for a while so she could run around the golf course (same place Jake and I had our reception!).  She also played with Isabella.  See the joy on Isabella's face to have Hannah "play" with her?!

Then the dancing started.  Hannah loves music so she lingered by the dance floor watching everyone dance.  The DJ put "Love Shack" on and Hannah let loose!  She started by mingling under the small groups of feet (strangers' feet I should add!) and the groups expanded to give her room to boogie.  Next thing I knew, Hannah had most of the dance floor circled around her cheering while she got down!

The little lady hogged the dance floor for the entire song and didn't stop for a second.  She even clapped for herself when the song ended!  I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face.  I guess we know which child loves the spotlight the most!

 

Here is a video of Hannah I shot a week or so earlier.  This will give you an idea of the dance moves she was whipping out.  This little girl loves music and loves to dance!  We have another family wedding at the end of the month and all the children will be coming along.  I can't wait to see what she does on the dance floor there!

 

 

Here's a picture of Jake and I all dolled up for the wedding.  We clean up pretty well!

Off to Preschool!

My babies are somehow off to preschool!  It baffles me where the past almost 5 years have gone but here we are.  They were so excited to go to Orientation on Monday afternoon.  They are going to Hosanna! Preschool, which is at a church that is practically in our backyard.  It's a two-minute drive or a 10-minute walk to get there, so location played a big role in our decision of where to send them this year.  Monday was a nice day so we decided to walk to preschool for our orientation.  Daddy even took the day off to come with too!

 

I should add that both children selected their own first day outfits.  Ava chose a dress and jeans.  Carter went with his favorite wolf shirt (I think it is actually a Halloween-theme shirt!) and his trusty yellow shorts.  Both wore their rocking new Nikes!

 

Ava and Carter are in the same class in the Star room.   They will go twice a week on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.  I'm super excited for two afternoons a week being free since Hannah will nap during the time they are gone!  Being that they are boy/girl twins, we will probably keep them in the same classroom for a few years in elementary school too.  I'm not worried about them being too reliant on each other since they are different genders and have different interests.  I think being together gives each of them a comfort spot in the room and a back-up buddy if they can't find a friend for that day.

 

One of the biggest perks to Hosanna! aside from the close distance to our house is the drop-off system they have in place.  Each class receives a specific color bag.  Parents pull up to the curb outside and teachers help unload the kids.  Since the classrooms and bags are color-coordinated, the teachers know which classroom to send the children towards.  No having to park the car, unload, get into the school, drop-off, and load back into the car with Hannah.  We just drop them off and go!  We do have to go in to pick them up but I don't mind that as we can see what they did in class that day.  But the drop-off system... Magic!

They are currently off enjoying their first full afternoon of preschool.  I won't say that my eyes didn't well up just a little bit when dropping them off today.  They just hopped out of the van and marched into the church like they've been doing it for months!  I think what got me was that neither Ava nor Carter looked back once at me.  They are such big kids now and need me for so little!  I will say that I'm not sure what to do with myself with this 2.5 hour span of quiet time though.  Hannah fell asleep in the car, which I imagine she will do almost every time.  So here I sit wondering how to pass my afternoon alone.  What a dilemma!

Encore

Sometimes it happens to the best of us.  Sometimes we have to eat our words and hang our heads for making such bold statements without having taken measures to back up such claims.  I am, of course, referring to this post which I made a little over two years ago.

 

Here we are again.  What has now been dubbed "Encore" will be making his/her debut sometime around January 9th, 2013.

 

 

The poor child is already draping its arm across its head wondering why God placed it in such a loud, boisterous, and crazy family!

We decided not to find out the gender.  Yes, we are boring like that.  It just doesn't matter to us (or maybe matters a little too much to a certain party who would rather be pleasantly surprised on delivery day than to have 4+ months to dwell on a 4th girl!).

 

Our ultrasound tech did not seem to have made it to class the day they were taught what to do if expecting parents do NOT want to know the gender.  She spent quite a bit of time running over the baby's image in what is best descibed as us laying on the floor looking up at the baby while it sits in a chair, buttocks and thighs being what is seen.  She also sent us home with this gem, which is a frontal leg shot up to about the hips.  We left the ultrasound about 80% certain that Encore is a girl since we didn't see anything hanging there in all those views.

Then after coming home, we examined this shot a little more closely.

 There is a suspicious looking lump protruding beneath the umbilical cord.  So perhaps it is a boy?  Our guess is back to 50/50 boy or girl.  I can't tell one way or another.  The heartrate is higher like all the girls have been but that could just be a wives' tale.  I can't tell based on how I carry because since the twins stretched everything out, Hannah laid low and Encore is also low already.  I guess we'll find out in January!

While it certainly wasn't in the cards to have a #5 anytime soon, if ever, we are taking everything in stride.  As my grandma said, sometimes God blesses some of us more than others!  The only negative to adding to the family is that since I had decided Hannah was the last, I got rid of everything baby.  So we have to start over in collecting equipment, clothing, and everything the little one will need.  Beyond that, we are very excited.  Carter really hopes it will be a brother.  We have no name ideas to share because we find ourselves in the same place as last time.  We can't agree on any boy names and the criteria for our girl names limits the available choices and we can't agree on those either.  Everything will be a surprise in January!